Virat Kohli's conversion rate sets him apart

In a generation of quality batsmen, Virat Kohli has grown to eclipse the rest through his unparalleled ability to convert fifties into hundreds.

A few years ago cricket fans would often discuss the 'big four'. These were the four main contenders for the title of the best batsman in cricket: Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root.

In fact, these players still occupy the top four slots in the ICC Test Rankings, in that same order.

However, in recent times Kohli has set himself apart from the rest and left the others trailing in his wake. Looking into his statistics, it becomes clear that this is largely due to his ability to convert starts into big scores.

Of the 'big four', Kohli has long been the best ODI batsmen, however, there was a period where his Test credentials were questioned.

At the start of Kohli's Test career, he would only convert 5 of his first 14 fifties into centuries. This gives him a respectable albeit unremarkable conversion rate of 35.71%. However, since then Kohli has converted 19 of his following 29 fifties into centuries, giving him an incredible conversion rate of 65.52% for this period, and bumping his career conversion rate up to 55.81%.

To give context to this, Sir Donald Bradman's conversion rate was 69.05%. So in recent years, Kohli has not been far behind the very best.

Furthermore, of those first five centuries Kohli scored, he never made more than 119. Yet now, four of his last six centuries have been double-centuries.

Kohli's Test conversion rate is also well ahead of his contemporaries. Of players who are currently playing, and have at least 3,000 Test runs to their name, Steve Smith's conversion rate is second to Kohli's. Though at 48.94%, Smith is still a bit behind.

Kohli also fares well against his other 'big four' rivals. Kane Williamson's conversion rate is 40.91%, while Joe Root has been significantly hindered by his inability to turn fifties into centuries, with a conversion rate of just 25.45%.

Kohli's ODI conversion rate is similarly brilliant. Standing at 44.19%, of players to have made at least 3,000 runs, only David Warner edges him out with a conversion rate of 45.16%. Yet Kohli also has the highest percentage of hundreds per innings, making a century 18.36% of the time he has gone out to bat in ODIs.

If we compare Kohli's ODI conversion rate to the big four, Kohli is once again well ahead. This time Joe Root is actually closest behind, but with a conversion rate of 30.95%, he is a long way off Kohli. Even further in his wake are Steve Smith, with a conversion rate of 29.63%, and Kane Williamson, who has a conversion rate of 25%.

While Kohli has been a force in ODIs from the start, it is worth noting that even now he may still be improving his conversion rate further, as this year alone he has converted nine fifties into six hundreds.

Furthermore, as he has in Test cricket, Kohli has also shown an improvement in his scoring once he reaches his century. After his eighth ODI century, Kohli had still never gone beyond 118. Yet since then, he has passed 150 on four occasions.

It is difficult to pinpoint what about Kohli allows him to do this in a way other batters cannot. His incredible record batting second in ODIs, where he averages 68.98, has shown he has an uncanny ability to analyse a game. Perhaps in recent years he has simply extended this knowledge to Test cricket, and has subsequently formed a greater ability to change his approach throughout his innings.

Perhaps it is simply a matter of concentration, though one would struggle to suggest that Williamson or Root lacked focus, despite their conversion rates being well behind Kohli's.

But whatever the cause, Kohli's position as the highest ranked batter in Test and ODIs is primarily due to his improved ability to convert starts. However, his statistics suggest he is still improving, meaning one can only imagine what he could go on to achieve.